ArtPrize T-rex comes together in front of Ford MuseumGary and Travis Fields made a life-size Tyrannosaurus rex for their 2012 ArtPrize entry called "A Second Chance at Life." The project was assembled September 10 outside the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum in Grand Rapids. (Cory Morse | Mlive.com)

GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Large scale art is no stranger to ArtPrize. With the enormous Steam Pig, a 30-foot "Greeting Card to the World," and a depiction of The Loch Ness Monster in the Grand River known as Nessie as predecessors, it makes sense that a life-size skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus Rex would appear this year.

This T-Rex, formally titled "Second Chance at Life ...," is the work of father-and-son team Gary and Travis Fields, along with help from Autodie, friends and family.

Some works of art are just literally too big to miss. This is one of them.

The idea for the project started four years ago after Gary Fields was downsized from his job as an engineering consultant. He owns five acres of land in Ionia and had always dreamed of building a "Jurassic Park" exhibit in his orchard and offering tours as an educational tool for children.

When he was faced with the prospect of reinventing himself at age 58, he chose to use his new found free time to build a model of a Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton.

"I’m really into paleontology," Fields said. "I've always wanted to go on a dinosaur dig and find one. Then I thought, 'If I can't dig one, I'll make one.'"

He received an osteology report of a T-Rex, based on the Tyrannosaurus Rex named "Sue" in the Field Museum in Chicago, from the Carnegie Institute in Pittsburgh. He used that report and a small three-dimensional model of a T-Rex skeleton to make his ArtPrize entry as accurate as possible.

Fields' T-Rex is 12 feet wide, 45 feet long and weighs 4 tons. The tip of its nose is around 7 feet in the air, while its tail soars more than 23 feet from the ground.

"This is actual size," Fields said. "We had a bone doctor come in and examine each piece. I had a Tyrannosaurus Rex expert come in and he told me it would rival any (skeleton in a) museum. It's spot on."

Fields, along with son Travis and wife Mary, spent hours constructing, sanding and painting each piece. The skull alone took more than 300 hours. Travis, a graphic artist, is responsible for the painting and colorization of the sculpture.

You'll notice that Deano's feet are brown and he appears to be shedding that color as he turns to bright white.

"We were going to paint the whole thing brown. That’s how they’re usually found due to fossilization," Fields said. "But Travis had the idea of painting it from brown to white to showcase the concept of 'old to new' and a second chance at life."

Gary Fields said he shares a tight bond and a mutual interest in art with his son.

"It was a lot of fun to spend time together as father and son on this project, and I couldn't have done it without him," Fields said.

"But I'd have to give my wife a lot of credit as well. I was lucky to find a wife who didn't balk at the idea of building a T-Rex in the family's orchard," Travis said. "She has been the backbone of the project and helped with applying the clay, painting and sanding."

Gary Brumels and Bill Wiersma, of Autodie, also were instrumental in construction of the piece. Brumels, a CAD specialist, was responsible for the design and engineering, while Wiersma performed the welding and assembly.

“We engineered and designed the steel framing and structure that the whole dinosaur rests on," Brumels said. "We also fabricated it.”

Autodie also provided a home for Deano when Fields' home began to look like a "boneyard."

“It was built on the section of the plant floor,” Brumels said. “We had access to a hoist so they could move the steel parts up and down.

It was a lot of fun being a part of the project, Brumels added.

“The biggest challenge from an engineering perspective was weight distribution. The head alone is about 300 pounds.”

Fields estimated the building costs at $20,000 to $25,000, factoring in 4,000 hours of labor since October 2011.

"I’m hoping this project will develop into something for me for more design work or full-time work as an artist," Fields said.

What about Deano's future?

"If we win, they keep him," Fields said of ArtPrize organizers. "But if we don’t, he’d be up for sale or be used as a traveling exhibit."

There’s still a chance Deano might end up in Fields' orchard.

Asked if he'd do it again, Fields said yes. He already has entertained suggestions for which dinosaur to build next. He says a Brontosaurus is the most popular request, but those life-sized dimensions would 65 feet tall and 127 feet long -- or roughly tall enough to rest its head on top of the Ford Museum.